Pelt-combing machine.



- M. T. RBEHL. PBLT GOMBING MAGHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 10, 1910.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

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MICHAEL THOMAS REEI-IL, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

PELiT-COMBING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application ledJune 10, 1910.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

serial No. 566,181.

To all whom itmcy concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL T. Rani-IL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Pelt-Combing Machine; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description thereof, attention being called to the drawing which accompanies this application and forms a part thereof.

This invention concerns a machine for combing the hair on animal pelts, the principal object being to remove impurities, foreign substances and hair which has lost its connection with the hide, also to straighten out the hair more or less, if matted.

A particular use for which this machine is well adapted is inconnection with the combing of tanned, long wool and short wool sheep-skins, also shearlings, lambskins, etc.

rIhe invention consists of a machine constructed as hereinafter described and claimed and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1, is a side-view of the machine, partly in section. Fig. 2, is a front-view of the same. Fig. 3, isa section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, note this line also in Fig.` 2. Fig. 4, is an enlarged sectional detail-view of a part of the combing wheel. Fig. 5, illustrates a detail of the comb. Fig. 6, is an enlarged vertical cross-section ofa device operating in conjunction with the combingwheel.

The hair or wool-covered hide is acted upon by a comb consisting of an endless surface studded with teeth which may be all of the same length or of dierent lengths. As shown, I use longer and stronger teeth 10 and shorter ones 11, bo-th arranged in alternate groups. A preferable form of endless surface may be had by using rim 12 of a suitable wheel 18, mounted upon a poweractuated shaft 14:. Power is shown as being applied in form of a pulley 15 alongside of which a loose pulley 16 is mounted.

The comb-teeth may be connected in any suitable manner, a preferable way being by means of sectional plates 17, fitted to the rim of the wheel and perforated` to receive the teeth which are inserted from the inner side of these plates. The teeth are prevented from passing out of these plates by means of heads'18 as shown in Fig. l1, or they may be formed as shown in Fig. 5, there being two teeth made out of one piece of metal, the

intermediate part 19 of the metal which connects the two teeth, holding them also in position on plate 17. After the teeth are placed on plates 17, these latter are connected to rim 12 of the wheel by bolts 21, whereby the teeth are lirmly held in position at their inner ends, where they are clamped between plates 17 and rim 12 of the wheel.-

22 is a table on which the combing-wheel is supported in a manner that part of its periphery revolves above the upper surface of the table.

The operator stands opposite the face of the combing-wheel, it being to the left as the same is shown in Itig. 1 which constitutes the front of the machine and the wheel revolves in a direction so that the teeth move away from the operator as shown by the arrow.

On the rear-side of the machine the table declines as shown at 23 and is formed by a multiperforated surface preferably in form of a screen 24.

The combing manipulation consists substantially of throwing the hide or skin upon the table, hairy side down and over the combing-wheel, the operator, without releasing his hold upon the skin, permitting at the saine time the wheel to draw the same toward the rear, after which he pulls it again toward him and against the movement of the combing-teeth, permitting it immediately to pass again to the rear. This action is repeated as often as necessary, the position of the skin being constantly changed until all parts of the hair on it are subjected to the action of the combing-teeth. The screen over which the skin passes back and forth during this operation permits all matter loosened by the combing-teeth to readily clear the hair and drop away therefrom. To prevent such matter from flying about promiscuously, I provide a gutter or channel 25 below the screen whereby this refuse may be properly controlled and directed to move away from the machine.

26 is a guard to protect the hands of the operator by limiting approach to the combing-wheel.

Pressure should be applied against the upper side of the skin, sufcient to hold the same down `against the combing-teeth to cause them to act properly and to prevent them from repelling the skin. I prefer to use a roll y27 for such purpose, loosely mounted above the combing-wheel, so that it may follow the movement of the skin without frictionally retarding the same. It is also yieldingly supported so that it may adjust itself to the thickness of the pelt and give way if a thicker portion of the same passes under it. Furthermore its surface which contacts with the skin is soft to prevent injury to this latter. This softness is obtained by the use of a pelt-covering 2S which may be made of wool-covered sheepskin stretched around the center of the roller, which center may be wood. This covering may be stretched directly around this center, or padding material 29, which may be wool, may be interposed. This roll is supported in bearings formed at the lower end of two rods 3l, provided with heads 32 at their upper ends whereby they are hung on a cross-bar 33. This support is one which permits these rods to move vertically and they are held to such a movement by suitable guiding-means as for instance by crosstimbers 34 and 35 which form parts of a general frame and through which timbers these rods loosely pass. The position of cross-bar 33 on which these rods 31 loosely hang, being held there by their heads 32, controls the lowermost position of roll 27 ywith reference to the combing-wheel. This lowest position may be adjusted by means of a bracket 36 on bar 33, held on the upper frame-timber by a pin 37. Then this pin is removed, the entire suspended struc- Y ture may be conveniently raised or lowered by means of a lever 38 and pull chain 39. The weight of this suspended structure and added weights if necessary may be relied upon to hold it to its normal lowest position and to return it to this position it perchance a thicker pelt has temporarily raised it.

This action may be augmented by spiral springs l-l sleeved upon rods 3l and con-- fined between shoulders 42 on them and the upper frame-timber 35.

It will be noted that the combing-teeth are secured to the wlieelnrim in a position inclined to this latter and more particularly in a direction inclining opposite to that in which the wheel revolves, so as to prevent hair from being torn from the skin, more particularly in the case of wool-covered sheep-skin.

I-Iaving described my invention, I claim as new:

l. In a pelt-combing-macliine, the combination of a table, a toothed combing-wheel supported so that part of it revolves above the table and a pressure-device yieldingly supported above the combing-wheel with a space between the two.

2. In a pelt-combingmachine, the combination of a combing-wheel and a pressureroll having a hair-covered face supported opposite the former with a space between the two.

3. In a pelt-combing-machine, the oombination of a table, a toothed combing-wheel supported so that part of it revolves above the table, and a guard on this latter and in front of the face of the wheel.

et. In a pelt-combi1ig-machine, the combination of a table, a toothed combing-wheel supported so that part of it revolves above the table and a screen provided in an inolined position back of the combing-wheel.

5. In a pelt-combingmachine, the combination of a table, a toothed combing-wheel supported so that part of it revolves above the table, a pressure-roll supported above this combingwheel in a Xed, lowermost position with a space between the two and free to yield upwardly and means to adjust the fixed lowermost position of the roll.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto`aliix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL THOMAS REEHL. lVitnesses C. SPENGEL, THOMAS REM-1L.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, ID. C. 

